Manipulating Fate
by ShadowOfApate
Summary: Experimental Fic. Chloe's Meteor power turns out to be Biological Manipulation.
1. Chapter 1

Title : Manipulating Fate  
Author : Tariq ( formerly Aeris Jade Orion )  
Rating : R  
Pairing : Chloe/Clark  
Timeline : After Doomsday.

Summary : Chloe is dealing with the aftermath  
of Doomsday, being abandoned by the Justice  
League, and keeping Metrolipolis together alone.

Authors note: It's unbeta'd. At the moment I  
have no beta reader for this genre. So drop me  
a line if you're interested.

Second, due to health issues, and taking care  
of my disabled mom, I haven't been able to  
write much. But over the last several years  
I've managed to slowly write on a number  
of stories.

What I've decided to do is go ahead and  
publish what I've managed to put together.  
The stories are unfinished, and sometimes,  
the last chapter I worked on is unfinished.  
Plus, there maybe multiple chapters, each one a  
different version. Just warning everyone.

So I apologize in advance.

Disclaimer : Not mine. All characters belong  
to WB and DC.

00000  
Prologue  
00000

' Clark Kent is dead. '

Chloe stared numbly at the blood stained floor where  
Jimmy had died just days before. She was feeling so  
many emotions at the moment, too many to identify.

The League had broken up and scattered without a  
single word to her. Refusing to answer their cells.  
Her dad was remarried in Maine, and couldn't be  
bothered now that he had a son to raise. Lois had  
been fired by Tess after being caught in the red  
head's office, and was now working for the Washington  
Post.

' Clark Kent is dead. '

Clark had just walked out of her wedding present.  
The cold, blue eyes unwavering after renouncing his  
membership to the human race.

" Chloe? " A young, hesitant voice came from the open  
double doors.

She peered up at sixteen year old Rebecca in surprise.  
The meteor infected teen didn't know about the  
building or that Chloe would be here. Though, her  
power was being psyhic.

" Is something wrong? " She approched the clearly  
tired raven haired teen. She could see black circles  
under her eyes, and her olive skin was pale.

" I've been having visions since Monday morning. The  
same one. " Becca shakingly admitted. " Over and over. "

' The morning Davis and Jimmy died. ' Chloe frowned.

" I... I saw you in them. " Becca held out her hand.

Chloe studied it. Part of the teens abilities was  
transferring the visions to other people. A part of  
her wanted to walk away from whatever could have  
disturbed a tough street kid so badly, the other part  
wanted to know so she could be prepared.

Finally, she took the hand, and... saw.

00000

Chloe grunted as she dragged herself further  
under the computer desk. Along The Watchtower  
blared through the room from her IPod dock. The  
chords of Hendrix in time with the pounding  
of the heavy drumming.

" Interesting choice of tunes. " A pair of black  
leather boots appeared by her legs. The music  
lowering to a more managable level.

She pulled the thin screw driver from her lips,  
and crawled out from under the desk. Standing  
up, she hugged her friend.

" Andrea. " She sighed in relief. " Did you have  
any problems? "

" In and out. " The superhero held up the small  
bag. " It was almost too easy. "

" I'll try to give you more of a challenge next  
time. " She smirked at her friend, reaching for  
the bag.

" Want to tell me what's going on? " Andrea  
pulled the bag back.

Chloe paused, hand still out. Andrea was eyeing  
her with deep concern. The other woman had come  
when Chloe called, but Andrea had been unable to  
hide her sympathy, or suspicions over the mission  
Chloe had sent her on.

" I need you to trust me on this. " The blonde  
meet Andrea's gaze steadily. " Everything I'm  
doing is necessary for the safety of Metropolis,  
Smallville, and all of the US. "

" Chloe, I looked at the files for these. " Andrea  
shook the bag. " The first is safe enough, all  
it'll do is reactive your meteor power. It's the  
other one I'm worried about. Chloe, it will kill  
you. "

The blonde cursed under her breath, a la Lois.  
It figured the Angel would get overprotective  
of her. The vigilante had secretly continued  
working with Chloe, so Andrea knew everything.

Jimmy, Davis, Clark's and the League abandonment.

" One of my teens is a psychic. She paid me a  
visit and gave me a preview. " Chloe sat in her  
office chair tiredly. " I have two choices. Choice  
A, I waste six months trying to drag the league  
back together by their ears, and the world implodes.  
Humanity becomes enslaved, the League dies horrible  
deaths, and finally, the Earth goes boom. "

Andrea's eyes had widened at her words. " And  
choice B? "

" I stale the bad guys until the League gets off  
their lazy asses and get back here. " Chloe  
shrugged.

" Shit, chica! " Andrea swore. " If the bad  
guys can kill the League...? "

" A human Watchtower has no chance. " Chloe slumped  
down. " I'm dealing with the guy who destroyed  
the planet Krypton, and his army. A secret  
government group, a second government group  
made up of meteor infected, and a mega powered  
alien. "

" Jeez, you're in way over your head. " Andrea  
handed over the bag.

" I know. " Chloe took the only hope she had.  
" I'm hoping my meteor power will let me survive  
the serum. "

" Because it let's you self-resurrect. " Andrea  
said.

" Yeah, not exactly my best idea, but considering  
the odds... " The blonde opened the bag and  
glanced at the two vials inside.

One was an electricly charged liquid meteor rock.  
Something Lex had developed to activate meteor  
powers. The other vial was simple, clear liquid.  
It was ordinary looking, but in fact, it contained  
a serum to give a specific meteor ability.

An ability no one had ever survived the process  
of acquiring before. One she desperatly needed  
if she was going to survive trying to keep the  
future from happening.

She sat the bag on her computer desk and grabbed  
one of the two syringes she'd sat aside earlier.

" You don't have to stay. " She told her friend.

" Yes, I do. " Andrea took the vial of meteor  
rock and syringe.

Chloe smiled lightly as she sat back down, letting  
her friend prepare the first shot. " Thanks. "

" I owe you more than I can ever repay. " Andrea  
opened a alchol pad, wiping Chloe's arm with it.

" Like you haven't done me several dozen favors. "  
Chloe winced as the needle slide into the skin.  
She breathed deeply, a soft glow starting in her  
chest, spreading out to her fingertips, to her  
eyes, and finally her toes. Then it disappered.

" Wow. " Andrea stared in awe. " I've never  
seen your power at work before. "

" That's as good as it gets. " She rubbed her  
arm. " Just call me the human bulb. Comes in handy  
when the power goes out. "

" I bet. " Andrea filled the second needle. " Are  
you sure about this? "

" There's no choice. " Chloe admitted. " The vision  
was absolute. This is the only way for the city  
to survive what's coming. "

" But will you? " Andrea wiped her arm again.

Chloe didn't answer.

The coming year was going to be hell for her. Not  
just surviving the battles she'd have to fight,  
but the battle against her new power. The fight  
against herself, and this time she didn't have  
Clark to act as a personal bomb squad.

" Do it. " She ordered her friend.

The needle slide home, and the clear liquid set  
her veins on fire. She had never felt pain like  
it before in her life. It started in her her gut  
and surged out in a constant web. Throbbing, pulsing,  
pushing, until her muscles locked up on her.

Someone was screaming in the distances. Loud and  
shrill. A piercing high pitched siren like shriek.  
It wouldn't stop, and it hurt almost as much as  
the serum.

Then the pain and the screaming stopped.

And so did her heart.

11111  
Chapter One  
11111

Chloe gulped the whiskey straight from the bottle.  
Her head pounded from the new ability. Feeling at  
the edge of her mind, waiting patiently for her  
attention, like a puppy waiting for it's master  
to come home.

Shaking, she sat the half empty bottle on her  
computer desk. She wanted to continue ignoring  
her power, to stuff her head in the sand, and  
pretend none of it was necessary.

Licking her suddenly dry lips, she mentally gave  
her power a slight nudge. What Lex's doctors  
called Biological Manipulation, and then she was  
no longer in the Watchtower.

Instead, she was standing in the most wonderful  
room she'd ever seen before. It was a large  
study. Turning in place, she could see a enourmous  
stained glass window similar to Watchtower in the  
back overlooking Smallville.

Moving to it, her breathe was taken from her.  
A balcony was outside the giant window. She was  
so high up, she could see the entire town. Stepping  
back, she turned back to the room.

Two of the walls were wall to wall, ceiling to  
floor, built in book cases. Somehow, she also  
know they had secret compartments behind them.  
However, the shelves were completely empty.

A large desk was in the middle of the room. It's  
top was made up of a touch screen, which could be  
raised, and slanted for easy used. A plush, black  
leather desk chair placed in front of it.

On the wall in front of the desk, from ceiling  
to floor, was dozens of flat screen computer monitors.  
All of which were the lit up with DNA. Her DNA.

Chloe swallowed as she realized this was her mind  
scape. Moving to the desk, she ran her fingers  
over the virtual touchscreen keyboard. In here  
she could do anything to her DNA.

She had ultimate power. It was... heedy.

' It's no wonder so many freaks go insane. '  
She sat down slowly.

The display in front of her shifted, and she  
frowned as she recognized the strands of DNA  
due to her power. It was the DNA responisble  
for various psychological problems. It wasn't  
a sure thing obviously, but the DNA made it  
a possibility.

Tapping quickly at the keyboard, she watched  
the DNA twist to give her immunity to all forms  
of insanity. A weight lifted from her shoulders  
at the sight. A crack Lionel had found repaired,  
and was fortified.

Her DNA shifted, catching her attention.  
It ended on her original meteor ability. Frowning  
at it, she studied the DNA closely. There was a  
lot she could see wrong with it immediately.

First was the strand concerning her life force. If  
she died healing someone, there was no telling when  
she would resurrect. It could be anywhere from  
Eighteen to Thirty six hours. That would be a good  
way to end up in the morgue, or on an autopsy table,  
or even in a grave.

Second was the way her healing used energy, it  
consumed it so rapidly, and with such waste, it  
guarenteed she would be almost dead by the time  
she finished.

She started to tap rapidly. The DNA mutated and  
flashed. When she finished, it was evolved so if  
she did die it would only be for twenty minutes  
at most. Her energy would no longer be wasted,  
and...

She froze as her DNA started to mutate again.  
Several more abilities began to tree off her  
healing ability. Self-healing, self-regeneration,  
accelerated metabolism, and age manipulation.

" Shit! "

This was bad. One little change had triggered a  
major shift. What next? Was it going to go and  
add Omni-immunity?

The DNA shifted again, doing just that.

" I'm really going to have to watch that. " She  
groaned in frustration.

While it was a useful ability, it wasn't something  
she'd planned to add. Especially since every  
change would cause her pain once she left her  
mindscape.

Rubbing her forehead, she began to type on the  
touchscreen keyboard. There was one ability  
she wanted to add before left.

Technology manipulation. With it, she would be  
able to create the type of security and technology  
Watchtower needed. Plus, she would be able to do  
it without the kind of money Queen had.

This time her DNA added enhanced memory,  
and enhanced intelligence.

Unnerved didn't begin to cover how she felt right  
now. It was like she was a bomb about to go off.  
If she could, she would rip her DNA apart, bit  
by bit, and not put it back together again.  
Unfortnately, it wouldn't let her. It was protecting  
her, and itself.

Not to mention it wasn't an option anyway. She  
had a future to protect. Though, Chloe wondered  
if it was worth risking having possession of  
this kind of power. One which couldn't be  
controlled.

Stepping back, she opened her eyes to the her  
office, and fell to the floor in agony. A white glow  
under her skin showed her DNA was mutating and  
making the changes she had decided on. Fine  
trembles ran over her body from the top of her  
head to the tips of her toes.

She curled up into a tight ball, cursing Clark,  
the League, and most of all herself.

' This is the price I have to pay. ' She tried  
to rationalize.

Because of Davis and Jimmy. It was her sin. Her  
crime. Her burden. Now she had to walk the path  
to redemeption alone. Bearing the burden one day  
at a time.

Slowly, her left hand latched onto the pole of the  
office chair. Concentrating on the cold of the  
metal. The hardness of the material.

The world blurred and she let it. The pain too much  
for her right then. Just like the pain in her soul.

11111

" I have them. " Andrea breezed in with four boxes,  
sitting them on the coffee table in front of the  
couch now residing inside the computer room.

" All of it. " Chloe headed for the boxes in  
surprise. " I thought it'd be several more weeks. "

" They were able to put a rush on it. " Andrea  
smirked.

" With a little persuasion. " Chloe lifted up the  
shoebox sized package, and opened it.

It was filled with playing cards. On oneside was  
what looked like a white rook on a black background,  
on the back was the red gothic words WatchTower on  
black and white checkered background.

" Nice. " Andrea peered over her shoulder. " A  
calling card? "

" Yeah, considering reporter's, especially Lois's,  
tendacy to name superhero's I thought I'd head  
them off. " Chloe set the package aside and picked  
up a large rectangular box.

Opening it, she found her uniform. It was made  
similar to Oliver's. It was also leather. However  
it was long sleeved, and the gloves fingerless.  
Instead of green, it was black. Where there was  
supposed to be black strips, there was dark red.

She reclosed it, and put it by the cards. The next  
box was filled with tools. A small, handheld  
computer. A special lockpick set. A pair of  
telescopic electric baton's. The battery on both  
would last four hours. Plus, they came with  
four extra batteries.

The last box had accessories. A zippered pouch  
for her cards. Not to mention pouches, and  
holster's for everything else.

" I think you're fully prepared. " Andrea raised  
an eyebrow. " I like the baton's. "

" They have a strong zap to them. " Chloe lifted  
one up. " Not quite up to a tazer's standards,  
but it'll make a point. "

" I don't suppose... "

" Get your own. " Chloe put it back.

" Spoilsport. " Andrea sighed, eyeing the toys.

" Besides, I go out for my first patrol tonight.  
I'm hoping to locate Zod. " The blonde said.  
" I should introduce myself. It's only polite. "

" A shocking display? " Andrea tilted her head.

" I have to make an impression. " She smiled.  
" It's his first time on Earth, afterall. "

" I'm sure he'll never forget you, chica. "  
Andrea shook her head with a chuckle.

" I'd better start getting ready. " Chloe glanced  
down at her new gear. " This is all new for me. "

" Come on, I'll help you. " Andrea lifted two  
of the boxes.

Chloe felt some of the tension ease up. She was  
glad she had at least some support at the moment.  
Otherwise, she wasn't sure what she would do.

22222  
Chapter Two  
22222

Chloe flew. Though she didn't have the ability  
to fly. In this case, she had help, from a six foot  
seven inch tall meteor infected man made up of  
four hundred and eighty pounds of muscles. The  
fact he was completely covered with pinhead  
sized metal scales didn't make it any better.

And it hurt.

It hurt worse when she landed on top on the  
closed dumpster. Thirty feet away.

She blinked, appearing in her mindscape. Chloe  
let out a breath as she saw a single book on  
the empty book shelves. On the spine was gold  
writing. Damion ' Brick ' Thompson.

The blonde pulled the book from the shelf, and  
flipped it open. Her opponeant's DNA, and knowledge  
was all contained inside it.

' He's a master of kickboxing. ' She nibbled at  
the bottom of her lip. ' That's a major problem. '

She paused as the knowledge of kickboxing  
disappeared from the book and was added to herself.  
Glancing to the monitors, she saw her DNA start  
to shift rapidly.

Enhanced flexibility, enhanced dexeterity, and  
enhanced reflexes.

Huffing at the sight, she turned back to the DNA,  
apparently Brick had the ability to absorb and  
manifast scales made of any material. Once absorbed  
the material was stored permantely and could be  
accessed at any time.

Making the decision, she went ahead and copied the  
ability, discarding the rest of the book. Her DNA  
flashed once then the book vanished completely.

Turning away, she returned to reality, and hurt  
like a bitch.

' I'm cursing way too much. ' She struggled up.  
' Or like a Lane-Sullivan, so I suppose it's  
okay. '

She really needed to start carrying pain pills  
if this was how things were going to go. The  
pain was so bad she was stumbling, and barely  
on her feet.

' Like the Hydrocodone I took from Jimmy. ' She  
grimly remembered the pills back at Watchtower.

Of course, it would be a temporary measure at  
best. The potential for addiction was too  
great. Not to mention the limited amount of  
pills.

She groaned as her body glowed. She could feel  
her DNA change.

" You've got to be joking me. " She muttered.

But it wasn't a joke. She could feel the changes.  
One added to her omni-immunity to prevent any  
kind of addiction. The other an ability to  
replicate.

" Forget about me, doll face? " Brick cracked  
his knuckles.

Chloe glanced up her eye ticking. " What did you  
call me? "

" Doll face. " Brick grinned.

She flickered her eyes over the alley. Quickly  
the blonde scanned over the long area, stopping  
on a single bolt. A high quality steel.

Glancing back at Brick, she smirked darkly. " I  
was hoping you'd say that. "

22222

She popped the codine in her mouth, dry swallowing  
it. The pain faded to a pounding ache. Throbbing  
in time with her heart. Never letting her forget  
her sins, or her duty.

" You look like hell. " Andrea entered the tower.

" I feel like it. " She slipped the black pill  
bottle into a pocket. The last thing she needed  
was Andrea finding out she was taking pain pills  
like candy. " Between trying to put Watchtower  
together, and patroling, I've barely got time  
to sleep. "

" Found Zod yet? " Andrea perched on her desk.

" Actually, I have. " Chloe typed on her keyboard  
rapidly. " Seems Tess is playing hostess to our  
local aliens. "

" I knew she was bad news, but this is taking it  
rather far. " Andrea grimaced. " When are you  
going to confront him? "

" Tonight. " The blonde touched the gun under  
her desk.

She'd hoped to be a lot stronger first, but it  
hadn't worked out that way. Since her run in  
with Brick, she hadn't found anymore meteor  
freaks, or superpowered bad guys. It was just  
run of the mill idiots.

Now, after a week of putting it off, she had to  
confront him. It was time to get his attention,  
and keep it. However, battling a fully powered  
Kryptonian made her shiver in fear. Especially  
when he had a small army of Kandorian's at his  
beck and call.

' God, I need a drink. '

" You want me to back you up. " Andrea offered.

" No. You've done enough. I'll handle things  
from here. " Chloe stood up to get ready.

" Chica, you've got no support as is. " Andrea  
followed after her.

" The vision... "

" Forget the vision. " Andrea interrupted  
sharply. " You need someone around, and  
I'm willing. "

" We can argue later, right now, E.T. needs  
a lesson in human relations. " Chloe waved off.

" You are a pain in the ass. "

Chloe headed down the hall to the locker room  
she'd set up. " Aren't I? "

-  
To Be Continued


	2. Chapter 2

Title : Manipulating Fate V. 2  
Author : Tariq ( formerly Aeris Jade Orion )  
Rating : R  
Pairing : Chloe/Clark  
Timeline :

Summary : Chloe refues to spy on Clark, and  
Lionel reacts. Now, as time runs out, Chloe  
must keep Clark's secrets close, while her  
friends rush to save her.

Authors note: It's unbeta'd. At the moment I  
have no beta reader for this genre. So drop me  
a line if you're interested.

Second, due to health issues, and taking care  
of my disabled mom, I haven't been able to  
write much. But over the last several years  
I've managed to slowly write on a number  
of stories.

What I've decided to do is go ahead and  
publish what I've managed to put together.  
The stories are unfinished, and sometimes,  
the last chapter I worked on is unfinished.  
Plus, there maybe multiple chapters, each one a  
different version. Just warning everyone.

So I apologize in advance.

Disclaimer : Not mine. All characters belong  
to WB and DC.

00000  
Prologue  
00000

' An Alien. ' Chloe absently stared out the  
office window of the Luthor Castle.

She hadn't meant to overhear the Kent's talking.  
Normally, she would have annouced herself, or  
simply walked off. However, after seeing Clark  
and Lana kissing, she'd been a wreck. So when  
she walked by the open kitchen window where  
Mr. and Mrs. Kent were discussing Clark's  
unique biology she had ducked down.

" Miss. Sullivan. " Lionel hurried into the  
room. " I apologize for keeping you waiting.  
I had a last minute meeting to see to. "

" It's no problem. " She turned to the wild  
haired man. " I imagine with Lex's wedding  
being tommorrow your schedule is even more  
chaotic. "

" You have no idea. " He smiled. " Now, I  
imagine you're here to give me the good news.  
Why don't we have a drink to your new column  
at the Daily Planet? "

She smirked slightly as he headed toward the  
bar with pure confidence. There was simply  
no doubt in his mind that she would betray  
her best friend.

" I'm afraid you'll be drinking alone. " She  
walked over to the couch and picked up her  
messanger bag.

" Oh? " He paused over the second glass of  
wine. " I thought most teenagers drank now? "

" You misunderstand. " She slung her bag over  
her head. " I'm refusing your ' generous ' offer. "

Despite feeling betrayed by Clark. By his not  
telling her about his origins or Lana, she felt  
relieved as she headed for the office doors. Her  
conscious, at least, was free.

" You know his secret. " Lionel whispered softly.

A shiver slid down her spine at the deadly tone  
in his voice. Yet, she never once faltered in  
her steps, simply raised a hand in dismisal.

" You tell yourself that, Luthor. " She shot  
back. " Now, I have a wedding in less than  
twelve hours, and unlike a certain Lang, I  
actually need my beauty sleep. "

The double doors opened before her and four  
muscular suits walked in. All carrying guns.  
Glancing back, she saw Lionel at his desk  
pressing a button on the office phone.

" I'm afraid you're going to be relocated for  
an extended amount of time. " Lionel sat in  
his office chair and sipped his wine. " I'm  
sure you understand. "

Oh, she understood all right.

She knew Clark's secret, and Lionel wanted  
it.

At any cost.

00000

Clark frowned at the FedEx guy as he shoved  
the large box into Clark's stomach and walked  
off. Glancing down, he noticed Chloe's name  
on it, and her address.

" Weird. " He muttered, hurrying into the kitchen.

" Who was it? " His father asked.

" FedEx. " He dropped the box on the kitchen  
table, and ripped the tape off.

" We didn't order anything. " His mom stepped  
up beside him, pausing in her hurry to get  
ready for the wedding.

" It's from Chloe. " He absently opened the  
box.

It was filled with folders, and a manilla envelope  
was on the very top. He spotted a small folded  
letter among the items. Grabbing it, he quickly  
began to read it out.

" Clark, you're lucky no one has taken the time  
to look into your adoption or medical records.  
Even a five year old could spot them as fakes.  
Just be glad I have the resources and abilties  
to hide your records. P.S. You owe me a dozen  
favors buster, and a coffee factory. " He almost  
swallowed his tongue at the implications.

" She... " His dad stared at him, then quickly  
began to go through the box of files. " My God.  
These are offical, legal adoption papers. Medical  
records, government records. She even created a  
biological family for you. "

" How... " His mom also started to go through  
them. " How did she... ? "

Clark sat down heavily in shock. A strange feeling  
welled up inside him. His eyes watering slightly.  
No one had ever done anything like this for him  
before.

" She has incredible skill with computers, and  
resources all over the world. " He wiped his face.

" I don't know how we'll ever be able to thank  
her. " His mom slowly moved to finish getting  
ready.

" I don't understand how she found out, or why  
she did this. " His dad put the files back into  
the box, and lifted it to store away.

" We'll invite her to dinner and discuss it  
with her. " Martha suggested.

His dad nodded.

Clark stood up, but he couldn't help consider  
his dad's words. Why had Chloe done this? Why  
now?

His stomach sunk, and feeling of dread filled  
him. Lionel had been behind his phony adoption.  
Lionel who he had seen at the Torch several  
days ago.

The teen moved to the phone. He wasn't waiting  
until the wedding. Something was wrong. Chloe  
had been upset after Lionel left. Now the box  
of papers?

No. His gut was churning, and the alarm in  
his head was blaring.

A banging on the front door stopped him from  
picking up the phone. The churning in his  
gut worsened as his mom opened the door to  
reveal the Sheriff.

Slowly, he shuffled forward.

" I'm sorry to bother you. " The red head sheriff  
stepped inside, her short form impossing despite  
her petite stature. " However, Gabe Sullivan's  
been on the phone with me all night, seem's Chloe  
never made it home. I've been to the Torch, the  
Talon, even to the Luthor's, but no one's seen  
her since yesterday. You're my last stop. "

Clark felt his power's trying to slip from his  
control. Weakly he grasped the nearby wall.

' She knew. '

" She hasn't been here. " Martha grabbed his  
dad's arm. " We haven't seen her in several days. "

" Do you know what stories she was working on? "  
The Sheriff inquired sharply. " I know Chloe.  
Once she's onto something, she latches on and  
won't let go. No matter what danger she's in.  
Lord know's the number of times she's been  
dragged to the ER. "

" Clark? " Johnathan gently clasped his shoulder.

" She hasn't gotten any new leads. " He managed.  
" But she was talking to Lionel Luthor the other  
day. Whatever they were talking about upset her. "

" Oh? " The Sheriff's face darkened. " Mr. Luthor  
seems to have forgotten to mention that little fact.  
I'll need to have another talk with him. "

" Don't bother. "

Everyone turned to look as Lex entered the room.  
The young man was partially dressed in his  
wedding tux. The bow, vest, and jacket were missing.  
The Luthor appeared worn down, helped along by  
the fact the shirt sleeves being partially rolled  
up, and the top buttons of his shirt undone.

" He's gone. After you left, he called his car,  
and disappeared. " Lex explained. " I had several  
of my men follow him. They never checked in. One  
of dad's private plane's is missing, and there's  
no flight plan. He could be anywhere. "

" Damn it! " Clark exploded.

" Why would Lionel Luthor take Chloe? " The  
Sherieff frowned.

Better yet, why would Chloe replace his papers?  
Clark ran his hands through his hair roughly.  
None of it made sense.

" I did find out one strange thing. " Lex rubbed  
the back of his neck. " Dad offered Chloe her own  
weekly column at the Daily Planet, and a promotion  
for her dad. Of course, he wouldn't make an offer  
like that unless he got something in return. "

Clark froze. His blue eyes rose to stare at his  
parents wondering if they had come to a similar  
conclusion.

" For dad to take her though, she must have  
refused his offer. " Lex continued.

Lionel asked Chloe to spy on him.

" If Chloe refused, wouldn't he simply kill  
her? " The Sheriff pointedly asked.

Chloe didn't just refuse. She went back and  
gave him an airtight past. A legal adoption.

" Not if he thinks she knows what he needs. "  
Lex's jaw clenched. " If he'd killed her, he  
wouldn't have left. It's too much of a legal  
risk. She's alive, and he's going to go to  
any extreme to get the information he wants  
out of her. "

Clark's hearing roared out of focus at those  
words.

' Torture. '

He struggled and fought until he brought his  
hearing back under control.

"...everything we can to find her. " The Sheriff  
assured, heading out the door.

Lex sighed heavily. " Under the circumstances  
I've postponed the wedding. I've got all my men,  
and resources searching for Chloe's location.  
Unfortantely, dad has so many hidden facilities,  
labs, and bunkers I don't know how long it will  
take. "

" Lex, you don't have to stop your wedding. "  
Clark protested.

" Believe it or not, my bride agreed. " Lex smiled  
slightly. " She's helping coordinate the effort.  
Lana is at the Torch. She's hoping to get a lead  
from Chloe's computer. "

" I'll change and come over. " Clark slumped in  
defeat.

" You can help Pete. " Lex gently clapped his  
arm. " He's going through my dad's office. "

Clark nodded and headed upstairs. He was going to  
get Chloe back. Even if he had to tear apart every  
city, state, and country in the world to do it.

11111  
Chapter One  
11111

" I'm going to give you one chance to tell me  
Clark Kent's secret. " Lionel Luthor bargained  
as several men entered the plain metal room. " A  
single chance, after that I will simply wait  
and savor the moment until you finally break. "

" Watch the hands, King Kong. " Chloe glare at  
the biggest man. The brute forcing her hands  
above her head, fastening them so she was standing  
on her toes. " Or you'll be singing soprano. "

" Miss. Sullivan. " Lionel cleared his throat.

She huffed in irratation. " Fine, I'll tell you,  
but you have to promise not to go blabbing. He's  
really sensitive about this. Clark's secret is  
this... "

Lionel stepped forward eagerly.

" Clark's first kiss came from me. " She smirked.

Everyone froze as Lionel's face closed off.

" I did an extensive background search on you  
before I approached you. " Lionel montioned to  
the female in a lab coat. " I was quite fascinated  
by the history of you and your mother. "

She stiffened at the mention of Moria Sullivan.  
Especially as the female moved forward holding  
a large syringe filled with glowing swirling  
liquid of shifting colors.

" You and your mother were in Smallville during  
the meteor shower. In fact, you were less than  
five hundred feet from the most concentrated  
meteor fall. " Lionel sat in the only chair  
in the room. " Then just a week later, you  
started to have ' accidents. ' Oh, your dad  
did a very good job of keeping the authories  
out of it. Hiding your ER records, taking you  
to his old army buddy who was the Doctor on  
duty in the ER. "

Chloe carefully kept her face blank. She  
remembered those hellish years. She even  
remembered the meteor shower. Her mom had been  
driving them home from visiting the General and  
her now dead aunt.

They'd been forced off the road that night.  
Chloe had then seen a naked boy her age climbing  
out of a crater. A boy she knew now was Clark.  
She'd opened the car door, and ran after him,  
concerned for him.

The two children saw each other through the smoke.  
Blue and green eyes. However, the boy had  
stumbled away from the glowing green meteorite.  
Pain visible on his face. While Chloe's mom had  
not believed her, and dragged her back to the  
car.

" The medical records on you and your mom are...  
very interesting reading. " Lionel grew smug.  
" Meteor infected the same night as the shower.  
Your mother's powers activated immediately, yours  
are still dormant. "

She wondered if Clark remembered seeing her that  
night.

" What's most fascinating is Moira's power. The  
ability to control you by thought and word. "  
Lionel visibly lit up. " It's such a shame she  
never learned to control it. All the time you  
spent in the hospital. The scars, the broken  
bones, the pumped stomach... "

She lifted her chin slightly. Her eyes narrowing.  
' Say it. '

" All those years and your father never stopped  
her. Never thought of your safety. " Lionel  
finally said. " Not until she nearly killed you.  
It was only then he finally acted. Such a shame  
really. "

" You mean the lose of her power. " She coldly  
stated.

" Of course. " Lionel calmly agreed. " If only  
Mr. Sullivan had acted sooner, he wouldn't have  
been forced to kill her. "

" What's your point? " She sighed in fake boredom.

In truth the whole thing was a sore point. No one,  
not even anyone in the family, knew the truth. Or  
that her mother was dead. She didn't talk about it  
and neither did her dad.

In point, she remembered every moment of the whole  
ordeal. Remembered, and carried it close like  
a burden. She didn't trust anyone because of it.  
Not her dad, not Clark, not Lana, and not Pete.

Chloe couldn't see herself ever getting married,  
or having children. Even a serious relationship  
scared the crap out of her. Instead, she'd long  
since decided to stick with simple lover style  
relationships.

" My point is simple. Your mother was insane,  
and abusive. You report on insane meteor freaks,  
and you yourself are a dormant meteor freak. "  
Lionel shrugged.

' Shit. ' Chloe kept her eyes locked on Lionel.  
The urge to glance at the syringe very, very  
strong, and getting stronger.

" Gee, you really are a genius. " She snapped.

" I thought we'd conduct a small experiment. "  
Lionel ignored her. " You see, one of my scientists  
discovered a new type of meteorite. Unlike other  
types, our tests show it will give humans powers,  
but we have no idea what the effects will be, or  
about the kinds of side effects. "

This time she couldn't stop her eyes from darting  
over to the rainbow colored liquid.

" It's a tempting offer. " She snarked. " But  
I'm going to have to refuse. My insurance would  
never cover the procedure. "

" Oh no. " Lionel smirked darkly. " I insist. "

The needle slid into her arm, and fire flowed  
through her veins. She refused to scream. Her  
head fell back, tears flowing from the corners  
of her eyes. The pain intensified, darkness  
creeping closer and closer.

A white glow grew under her skin. Burning her  
body, and she trembled uncontrollably. Finally,  
she let the darkness embrace her.

11111

" Well? " Lionel demanded, the glass of whiskey  
rolling between his hands.

" It activated her original power plus a new one. "  
Dr. Rhyon practically trembled. " She has the  
ability to heal others. However, it's the new  
ability which is so exciting. It must be why she  
also activated her old one. "

He leaned back in his office chair, waiting  
patiently for the normally stotic woman to stop  
rambling. For her to be acting like this, the  
blood work must have revealed how to make gold  
out of lead.

" She has Biological Manipulation! " The doctor  
exclaimed.

He stared blankly at her. He had no clue what  
she meant, or what was so great about the ability.

" Oh for... " The doctor slammed the metal  
clipboard with a thick file onto his desk.  
" Because of her power she can control all life  
on a biological level. Sullivan has the power to  
make genetic manipulations, give powers, take  
powers, mutate powers. She can copy DNA,  
powers, memories, etc. She has no limits. "

He set the glass down with nerveless fingers.

" Already her powers reacted so we can't pierce  
her skin with needles. " The doctor continued.

" Any side effects? " He interrupted.

" Yes, every use of her ability causes her pain,  
how much depends on the amount and severity of use. "  
She broke off. " The interesting thing is there's  
no trace of meteorite in her body. "

" I want you to prepare another dose of Rainbow  
meteorite. " Lionel ordered. " This time for me. "

The doctor slowly picked up her clipboard. " Sir,  
I'm afraid, that's not possible. After Sullivan  
was injected, what was left of the RM vanished. "

" What happened to it?! " He slammed his fist  
on the desk.

" It vanished the same moment Sullivan's powers  
activated. " The doctor paled.

Lionel growled. Biological Manipulation would be  
perfect. " Can you use her blood to give me her  
powers? "

" Sir, her blood disolved twenty minutes after  
we got it. " She backed away.

" You can take her DNA from her salva or hair. "  
Lionel pointed out.

" Normally, yes. However, when we took samples  
the DNA died within minutes, and the new samples  
have no DNA at all. " She shifted nervously.

" Can you get anything from her eggs? " He asked  
in frustration.

" We tried to take a single egg. " She admitted.  
" But her body adapted to the intrusion. Now  
it won't produce any egg unless she gives it  
permission. It's quite literally the perfect  
birthcontrol method. "

He felt his temper rising fast. He had a failing  
liver. His life was running out. His hope lay on  
two possibilities. The Travler, and now Chloe.

" You said she can heal others? " He stood up,  
walking toward her. " How far does this ability  
reach? "

" I'm not sure. " She admitted. " The ability is  
based around her heart, so I believe she's going  
to be almost immortal. Because of this she can  
probably heal anything short of, if not, death  
itself. "

Lionel leaned back into his desk.

If Miss. Sullivan could heal him it would be  
perfect. It was simply a matter of making her.  
She was, after all, a stubborn woman.

Though she would break. Already she was cracking.  
Being infected was her worst nightmare. A first  
step in psychological torture. Make her live  
what she feared, slowly eating away at her  
sanity.

Unfornately, she was strong. Too strong for  
that alone to work. It would take far more  
to break her.

But at the same time, his curiousity over her  
ability was raging. Perhaps he should combine  
the two.

" I want her ability pushed to the limits. "  
He decided. " Have the empty lunch room set  
up and secured. Then pick out our most dangerous  
and powerful patients to... greet Miss. Sullvian.  
I want to see her power in action. "

" Yes, sir. "

" But first, I want her to undergo a series of  
environmental simulations. "

He watched her hurry out with a smile.

Yes, this would work just fine.

22222  
Chapter Two  
22222

" I found something. " Lois loudly announced from  
Lionel's desk.

Clark dart over to her, snatching the files away  
from Chloe's very annoying, loud mouthed cousin.

" Hey! " Lois tried to grab them back, but Lana  
managed to take them away from both of them.

" I'll take those. " Lana calmly declared, opening  
the file on the desk.

Clark started to read the large file on Chloe aware  
of the entire group crowding around. Lois, Lex, Pete,  
and Lana. They'd been going for two days. Camping  
out at the Luthor mansion, not stopping except for  
short naps.

" This can't be right. " Lana muttered.

" Uncle Gabe wouldn't... " Lois stared wide eyed.

Clark felt nausated the more he read. Suddenly  
certain of Chloe's behaviors made sense. Including  
her defensiveness when it came to her feelings for  
him, and why she broke up with him during the  
disaster which was the Spring Formal.

' I'm an idiot. ' He grimaced.

His eyes fell on a picture of a very young Chloe.  
A young, blonde racing across a meteor riddled  
field as he struggled out of a crater. Thick smoke  
billowing around them. Pain filling his body from  
the green rocks. Blue eyes locked on concerned  
green.

" She was there. " He whispered.

" What? " Lex frowned at him.

" Chloe. " He glanced up at him. " The night of the  
meteor shower. She was there. I saw her. She found  
me. I didn't remember until just now. "

" Seriously? " Pete stared at him in shock. The  
teen understanding his meaning.

" Yeah. Her mom didn't see me, and pulled her  
away. " Clark explained.

" Yeah, that's nice and all, but in the mean time  
I'm going to kill my uncle. " Lois shoved the file  
from the desk. The papers went flying everywhere.  
" The bastard let my cousin go through hell for  
years, and covered it up. Then he turns around  
and kills my aunt when the situation gets  
completely out of control. And why the hell didn't  
Chloe ever tell me?! "

" Lois! " Lana spun her around. " Focus! First  
we get Chloe back, then we go after Mr. Sullivan. "

" Right. " Lois took a deep breath. " Priorities.  
Rescue the cousin, call the General to execute the  
family traitor at dawn. I can do this. "

Clark nodded in agreement. He had no argument  
aganist those ideas. In fact, he had no intention  
of letting Chloe go near Mr. Sullivan ever again.

" She's got dormant meteor powers. " Lex stared  
at the floor thoughtfully.

" Yeah so? " Lois glared sharply. " You have a  
problem with that Baldy? "

" I think I know how my father's going to try  
and break her. " He glanced at her. " Between  
her mother and all her run-in's. It's obvious  
she's developed a phobia of the meteor infected.  
Imagine what would happen if she suddenly found  
her powers activated? "

Clark felt the air sucked out of him. The room  
spun around him. Chloe had once joked about her  
developing meteor powers. Except he knew her  
well enough to know she hadn't been joking.

She was scared to death of it. Scared she would  
go insane and hurt the people she loved. She'd  
even joked she would rather kill herself than  
risk their lives.

" Oh hell. " Pete swore softly.

Lana sank into a nearby chair. " We have to find  
her fast. "

" Lex. " Clark spoke urgently. " Chloe would  
literally rather kill herself than risk hurting  
us. "

" Even if she's not insane? " Lex questioned.

" She wouldn't take the chance. " Clark shook  
his head. " If we're not there to talk her  
down... "

" Shit. " Lois rubbed her forehead. " He's  
right. My cousin is a single minded, bullheaded,  
stubborn, jackass. "

" Sound familiar? " Clark muttered.

" Want to step outside Smallville? " The brunette  
shook a fist.

" Enough! " Lana yanked Lois back toward the  
desk. " We're running out of time here! I know  
your frustrated, but taking it out on each other  
is not helping Chloe! "

" Sorry. " Clark toed the rug.

" Yeah. " Lois scoffed. " What he said. "

Clark started to pick the scattered file up  
as the group got back to work. All the while  
wondering if they would find Chloe in time.

22222

Chloe stumbled into the new cell with a glare  
back at the ape who kept manhandling her,  
and shot a handgesture her cousin had taught  
her at him.

Thankfully her hands weren't fastened this  
time. Probably because of how excited all  
the science geeks seemed to be over her powers.

They'd explained them to her, a fact which  
honestly suprised her, and then started to  
treat her like a rat in a cage. Needles,  
probes in places that had gotten them a kick  
in between their legs, swabs, and other  
equipment.

' Looks like more experiments. ' She glanced  
around.

The room was quickly becoming hot. Sweltering  
hot. Sweat was pouring off her skin as the  
tempeture kept climbing.

Chloe could feel her power in the back on her  
mind. What the doctor called Biological Manipulation.  
Licking her dry, cracking lips, she nudged it,  
and suddenly she was no longer in the cell.

Instead, she was standing in the most wonderful  
room she'd ever seen before. It was a large  
study. Turning in place, she could see a enourmous  
stained glass window in the back overlooking  
Smallville.

Moving to it, her breathe was taken from her.  
A balcony was outside the giant window. She was  
so high up, she could see the entire town. Stepping  
back, she turned back to the room.

Two of the walls were wall to wall, ceiling to  
floor, built in book cases. Somehow, she also  
know they had secret compartments behind them.  
However, the shelves were completely empty,  
except for a single book. On the side of it's  
spine was the name Dr. Abigail Rhyon.

A large desk was in the middle of the room. It's  
top was made up of a touch screen, which could be  
raised, and slanted for easy used. A plush, black  
leather desk chair placed in front of it.

On the wall in front of the desk, from ceiling  
to floor, was dozens of flat screen computer monitors.  
All of which were the lit up with DNA. Her DNA.

Chloe swallowed as she realized this was her mind  
scape. Moving to the desk, she ran her fingers  
over the virtual touchscreen keyboard. In here  
she could do anything to her DNA.

She had ultimate power. It was... heedy.

' It's no wonder so many freaks go insane. '  
She sat down slowly.

The display in front of her shifted, and she  
frowned as she recognized the strands of DNA  
due to her power. It was the DNA responisble  
for various psychological problems. It wasn't  
a sure thing obviously, but the DNA made it  
a possibility.

Tapping quickly at the keyboard, she watched  
the DNA twist to give her immunity to all forms  
of insanity. A weight lifted from her shoulders  
at the sight. A crack Lionel had found repaired,  
and was fortified.

She quickly input the newest need to her DNA.  
Heat and cold immunity into the system. Two  
strands of DNA were added to her DNA. Satisfied,  
she started to get up and leave.

However, her DNA shifted, catching her attention.  
It ended on her original meteor ability. Frowning  
at it, she studied the DNA closely. There was a  
lot she could see wrong with it immediately.

First was her the strand concerning her life force. If  
she died healing someone, there was telling when  
she would resurrect. It could be anywhere from  
Eighteen to Thirty six hours. That would be a good  
way to end up in the morgue, or on an autopsy table,  
or even in a grave.

Second was the way her healing used energy, it  
consumed it so rapidly, and with such waste, it  
guarenteed she would be almost dead by the time  
she finished.

She started to tap rapidly. The DNA mutated and  
flashed. When she finished, it was evolved so if  
she did die it would only be for twenty minutes  
at most. Her energy would no longer be wasted,  
and...

She froze as her DNA started to mutate again.  
Several more abilities began to tree off her  
healing ability. Self-resurrection, self-healing,  
accelerated metabolism, and age manipulation.

" Shit! "

This was bad. One little change had triggered a  
major shift.

The book on the shelf flew onto the desk, and  
opened in front of her. She shot it a glare. It  
was bad enough her DNA wasn't behaving, but now  
her own mind?

Never the less, she lifted the book, and flipped  
through it. It had the good doctors DNA, and  
knowledge. The DNA wasn't much good. It had nothing  
she wanted or needed. However, the medical knowledge  
alone was worth it's weight in gold.

She barely had the time to finish the thought  
before the book glowed and vanished. Her DNA  
flashed, and suddenly her mind was filled with  
the knowledge she'd just been considering.

" I'm really going to have to watch that. " She  
groaned in frustration.

Again, her DNA had added to itself to accomadate  
a change. This time it had added enhanced memory,  
and enhanced intelligence.

Unnerved didn't begin to cover how she felt right  
now. It was like she was a bomb about to go off.  
If she could, she would rip her DNA apart, bit  
by bit, and not put it back together again.  
Unfortnately, it wouldn't let her. It was protecting  
her, and itself.

Stepping back, she opened her eyes to the cell,  
and fell to the floor in agony. A white glow  
under her skin showed her DNA was mutating and  
making the changes she had decided on. Fine  
trembles ran over her body from the top of her  
head to the tips of her toes.

Soon the rubber soles of her shoes melted and  
she had to remove them. Tossing them into far  
corner of the room. The metal walls, floor, and  
ceiling began to glow red from the heat.

Her skin burned and the glow of her skin  
became brighter. She closed her eyes. All the  
heat and glowing hurting them badly. Through  
all of it though, she refused to show her  
weakness.

Then it stopped.

The tempeture dropped to normal, and gradually  
the metal cooled off. With it her body was allowed  
to finish mutating. The pain stopping for a single  
moment.

Suddenly, it started again.

The temp started to sharply drop, and she was  
glad she thought to include the cold. Because  
she had no idea what hell she was going to be in  
next.

33333  
Chapter Three  
33333

Lionel rapidly flipped through the latest results,  
taking a moment to watch the screen where Miss.  
Sullivan was undergoing the latest test.

" Incredible. " He closed the file.

The blonde had just been taken to her third test.  
They'd filled the room with water. He'd been  
assured by Dr. Rhyon that the teen would adapt  
to the all water environment, and she was right.  
In less than two minutes, the reporter was breathing  
water.

He tapped the computer, draining the room. Another  
tap set the room on fire. He leaned forward as  
he saw her body glowing white in the middle of  
the blazing blue fire.

The readout's on the second monitor were going  
all over the place. If he could have her power...

Quickly he stopped the fire. A command leaked  
nuclear radiation into the room. Increasing it  
rapidly.

Her skin pealed. Her hair fell out. Then she  
healed. The teen glowed white adapting like  
the other times.

Lionel stopped the radiation, purging the  
room. The blonde's healing had evolved to  
include self healing. The doctor was right.

He slowly smiled at the thought. The rest of the  
environmental tests could wait. He had to see  
what she could do when faced with other powers.

He had to see her become a God.

33333

" I think she knows my secret. "

" What? " Martha froze.

Clark had stopped by the farm to talk to his  
parents briefly, and get a fresh change of  
clothes.

" Why do you say that? " Johnathan asked.

" Chloe was there when I crawled out of the  
crater. " Clark explained. " We saw each other.  
Then there's the records. "

His parents glanced at each other in silent  
conversation.

" Son, we didn't want to say anything until we'd  
talked to Chloe, but the morning of the wedding,  
when I went outside I found something outside the  
kitchen window. " His dad said, opening a kitchen  
draw and removing a small item. " It wasn't there  
the afternoon before, and the previous night your  
mom and I had been discussing your origins. "

Clark swallowed the lump in his throat and took  
the item. It was a small key chain. A one dollar  
clip on cow he'd purchased for Chloe when they'd  
first become friends. She always kept it clipped  
to her messenger bag.

Unforantely, the clip was faulty so it was always  
falling off. He, Pete, and even Lana was constantly  
stumbling across it. They'd all teased her over it,  
telling her to retire it, or offering to buy  
her a new one. But she refused, stubbornly hanging  
on to ol' Bessie.

" She knows. " He whispered. " She knows, and  
Lionel... "

He stumbled backward, falling into a kitchen  
chair.

' She knew and refused him, so he took her. '  
He dimly blinked around the black and white  
world swimming around him. ' Chloe won't talk.  
She'll snark, and snarl, and snap, and bite  
until he gets so frustrated he bites back. '

" ...rk! BREATHE! " Johnathan ordered.

" Dad, Chloe won't talk. " He stressed.

His dad frowned in confusion at him.

" Dad, think. " Clark grabbed him. " You know  
what Chloe's like. She's a pain to normal  
people. She drives people crazy when she's  
on a story. Lionel has her someplace trying  
to get information out of her! She's going  
to burrow down, and do everything she can to  
make him miserable! "

His parents flinched as they got the full  
picture.

" Oh dear. " Martha weakly sat on a nearby  
stool. " Have you found any clue yet? "

" Only deadends. " Clark admitted.

" I'm sure you'll find her soon. " Martha soothed.

" If I just had someone to question, or a building  
to search. " He clenched his fists.

He stood up to leave.

" Clark, maybe you should get some rest. " His  
father called in concern.

" There's no time. " Clark refused. " Besides,  
we're waiting for a call from one of Lex's men.  
We're trying to locate Lionel's missing plane. "

He speed off before his parents could stop him.  
His mind firmly on Chloe and her sacrifice.

44444  
Chapter Four  
44444

" So what now? " Chloe stood barefoot in the  
middle of the large empty room, the perfect  
picture of boredom. " A manicure and pedicure?  
The full spa treatment? Which reminds me I want  
to complain to the management about my treatment  
so far. "

" Now, now, Miss. Sullivan. " Lionel entered  
the room. " I would think becoming a God would  
gain me some leeway. "

" Seriously? A God? " She gaped at him, then  
burst into loud hysterical laughter.

She couldn't help it. Yeah, her manipulation ability  
was a little bit more powerful than the norm,  
and it had a lot of potential, but a God? Only  
a Luthor.

" I'm deadly serious. " He stated with upmost  
calmness.

" I know that's what's so funny. " She snickered.  
" I can't wait to tell the other's this one. A  
God. "

She shook her head at his stupidity, and delusions.  
She was just grateful he couldn't get his hands  
on her power.

" Nevertheless, I've decided to take your testing  
to the next stage. " He declared.

The far doors opened and six heavily armed guards  
entered. They surrounded a massive man. Guiding  
him to stand in front of her, then they hurried  
back to the walls, keeping their backs turned  
away from him.

Lionel and the doctor stepped back to the walls  
as well. Leaving Chloe alone with with six foot  
seven inch, four hundred pound wall of muscle.  
Frowning, she shifted her gaze from Lionel to  
muscles and back again.

" Miss. Sullivan allow me to introduce you to  
Brick. He's done time, as they say, for his  
habit of beating women to death. " Lionel  
explained.

' Well shit. ' Chloe took a step back from  
muscles who was leering at her, and popping  
his knuckles.

" Brick, also happens to have a rather unique  
meteor power. " Lionel laughed. " He permantely  
absorbes materials, and can then turn his body  
into those materials at anytime. "

' Double shit. ' She took another step back as  
Brick shifted before her eyes. Covering his  
entire body with tiny scales the size of pin head  
made of steel.

Then he punched her.

Chloe soared across the room. Pain envelopeing  
her healing body. She could feel herself copying  
his DNA. Seconds later she was in her mind,  
staring at the book with the name Damion ' Brick '  
Thomas on it.

Lifting it from the shelf, she flipped it open,  
and examined his DNA. His power copied to herself,  
but his knowledge caught her eye. He was a master  
of kickboxing.

She would never survive against him without the  
same knowledge. It glowed and copied over. The  
book disappering. Moving to her desk, she sighed,  
as her DNA started to mutate again.

Enhanced reflexes, enhanced dexeterity, and  
enhanced flexibility.

" And I thought the Omni-immunity due to the  
radiation was bad. " She muttered in frustration.

Still she'd have to get her hands on some kind of  
metal when she got back to reality, plus deal with  
the pain this would cause.

Blinking, she landed hard, struggling up as his  
heavy feet pounding toward her. Massive hands of  
cold metal grabbed her hair and yanked her up.  
She struggled uselessly.

He punched her again. Grunting in excruitiating  
pain, she knew she had to be better. She had to work  
past the pain, or she was dead. Of course, turning  
into metal wouldn't hurt either.

Lurching up, she realized she was close to a guard.  
He would have metal on him. A knife, bullet,  
keys, something.

Darting to the side she barely missed getting  
grabbed again. He tried again, and she ducked,  
again barely getting away. It wasn't superspeed,  
but it was faster, she sighed.

Desperate, she punched him as hard as she could.  
He didn't even move. Simply blinked at her in  
disbelief.

" Right. " Chloe hopped backed. " Bad idea. "

She ran to the side. A punch going into the floor.  
Chloe's glowing hand brushing up against one  
of the nearby guards belt buckle. The steel melted  
into her hand and disappeared.

" Huh. " She skidded to a stop. " Got it. "

A bulldozer slammed into her. She spun out of  
control, and just before she hit the wall. Again.  
Her body developed metal scales.

" Note to self. Check out new developements  
when I'm not in danger. " She stood up to  
meet said bulldozer. " Say Lionel, any chance  
of calling off your pet dog? I think he has  
rabies. "

She yelped and side stepped a rapid punch from  
the dog in question. Glowing again, she threw  
a punch of her own. This time his head tilted  
a whole half inch.

Growling softly, she was starting to wonder  
if she was going to survive this fight.

44444

" She's making changes faster than I anticapated. "  
The doctor whispered to him.

He watched through half-lidded eyes as they  
carried Bricks body out of the room on a  
stretcher. The blonde reporter laying curled  
up unconscious nearby.

" It took her six hours to beat him. " Lionel  
dismissed.

" Exactly. " Doctor Rhyon nodded in excitement.  
" With his abilities, it should have taken her  
longer. After all, Brick is a professionally  
trained kick boxer, in addition to his powers. "

He paused. He hadn't considered that in his  
evaluation.

" She literally took his powers and kick boxing  
from him in the span of six hours. Plus, she  
mutated to have enhanced flexibility, relexes,  
and dexterity. "

His disappointment was completely gone. The  
doctor had good points.

" Who's next? "

" Becky. " The Doctor beamed. " I want to see what  
her ability will do when confronted with someone  
with mental abilities. "

Lionel sat up at attention. Becky could read minds,  
and erase memories. He'd wanted to use her to the  
information he needed from Chloe but Becky was not  
controllable and very dangerous. Bringing her into  
this was a major gamble.

" Doctor, I'm not sure... " He started.

The doors opened and Becky was escorted in. The  
young teen spotted the sleeping Chloe instantly  
and lit up with glee.

He stood up as the twelve year old sprinted across  
the room to the blonde. The blue haired girl  
dropping down indian style beside her.

" Guards! "

But it was too late. Becky had a green hand  
resting on Chloe's head. Chloe, at least, was  
glowing white.

" Doctor. " Lionel stared at the two meteor  
freaks. " If you're wrong, I will kill you. "

55555  
Chapter Five  
55555

" His plane is in Colorado. " Lex dropped the  
phone in the reciever. " The problem is he has  
three labs in the state, and Chloe could be at  
anyone of them. "

" Can we narrow it down? " Pete tiredly drained  
his fourth cup of black coffee. " Expense records,  
personal, bank accounts? "

" There's no records on them. " Lex admitted. " He  
made sure if there was, they were destroyed. "

" So we go there and check. " Clark folded his arms  
to keep from throwing something threw a window.

" Each lab is over a hundred miles apart. " Lex  
sighed in frustration. " It's going to take days. "

" It's better than nothing. " Lana absently pushed  
the sleeves on her old faded zip up sweat shirt up.

" I can call the General to help. " Lois yawned.  
" I imagine Lionel will have the lab guarded with  
enough hardware to arm Korea. "

" And some. " Lex agreed. " My men will also help.  
I've got a plane being prepared now. Once we land  
in Colorado, we can use a helicoptor to check out  
the labs. "

" Right. " Clark nodded.

He frowned lightly at the plan, wanting to race off,  
and save Chloe now. But if he did, there would be  
questions. Lots of questions he couldn't answer,  
and then Chloe's sacrifice would be meaningless.

Chloe, who had her own secrets, and loved him  
despite his alien heritage. Someone who cherished  
him because of who he was, not despite of it.

He glanced over at Lana and felt his heartbreak.  
He'd chosen her, not knowing he had a choice. Now,  
he did, and after everything... He couldn't say he  
would make the same one.

She looked over at him, and a sadness entered her  
eyes. For a moment it was like looking in a mirror.  
He almost thought she knew he regretted his decision.

" Clark, can I talk to you for a minute? " Lana asked.

" Sure. " He followed her out of the office, into  
the hall.

" You want to breakup. " Lana cut to the chase.

" I... " He froze in surprise.

" I'm not stupid. " She smiled sadly. " You finally  
figured out Chloe's defensive mechanisim, and how  
she feels. "

He shifted uncomfortably at her words. This wasn't  
how this was supposed to go.

" I should apologize. " Lana continued. " I knew  
about her feelings for you, and I hid them. I  
also hid something else. "

She pulled a battered letter from jean pocket.  
He recognized the pink paper and handwriting as  
belonging to Chloe. More importantly his name  
was on it.

" I found this on the Torch floor. " Lana  
explained. " I believe it belongs to you. "

Carefully he took the letter. Lana patted his  
arm then walked back toward the office.

" Good luck. " She whispered.

Frowning in confusion, he opened the letter.

' I want to let you in on a little secret,  
Clark... '

55555

Chloe rubbed her forehead as the twelve year was  
dragged out of the room in a full tempertangurm.  
Apprently the brat didn't like the fact Chloe had  
not only copied her powers but became immune to  
all forms of mental attacks made against her.

" So who's up for a nice long vacation paid for  
by our lovely host? " She asked shakingly.

" This could stop. " Lionel tilted his head.

She struggled to her feet, and glared at  
him. " I won't betray my best friend. "

" Forget about Clark. " Lionel waved her off.  
" I no longer care about some foolish teen. What  
I want from you is a simple little favor. "

She snorted at his about face. There was no way  
he was suddenly willing to give up on Clark.

" All I want is for you to heal me. " Lionel  
offered. " Just heal me, and you can go. I'll  
give you your column in the Daily Planet, and  
even throuw in your father's promotion. "

He was too greedy to walk away from information  
on Clark. Too greedy to walk away from the chance  
to study her powers. He would never let her go,  
not until she had nothing left.

" Lionel, a liar is still a liar no matter how  
pretty they dress their lies. " Chloe held his  
gaze. " I know you too well, and I won't do  
it. "

" Very well. " Lionel sat back down.

The doors opened and a slender man entered with  
a single guard. She sighed at the sight of him.  
She was already glowing slightly from exhaustion.  
Chloe couldn't remember how many days it had been  
since she'd last slept, or eaten, or drank anything.

The slendar man dived forward with surprising  
speed, and latched onto her. " Hello, love, how  
about a little fun? "

' Oh, hell no. ' She reared back with her knee.

Then her world exploded with pain.

66666  
Chapter Six  
66666

Lionel sipped his Earl Grey calmly. The decision  
to use the meteor freak with pain and pleasure  
inducement powers was easy. Especially, at this  
stage of her testing.

She had been a week without sleep or food. Under  
constant physical and emotional stress. Being  
tested nonstop, and her powers used at every  
second of the day.

Miss. Sullivan would break soon. One way or  
another.

A meteor freak rapist with the ability to cause  
pain or pleasure at a whim was perfect. She was  
closed off, didn't trust anyone, and especially  
distrusted men.

Her screams increased as Trent increased the pain.  
The freak getting overly excited after going so  
long without a victim. The slender man fumbled  
for his belt.

Lionel tsked as Chloe stopped screaming and glowing.  
Instead she opened furious green eyes. Of course,  
Trent wasn't a helpless whimp. Otherwise, he wouldn't  
have racked up such a long list of victims.

The Billionaire took a sip of his tea. In less than  
a minute the rapist was rolling on the floor  
screaming in pain. Blood was pooling from between  
his legs, and Chloe was standing over him spitting  
in rage.

" Wonderful. " Lionel beamed.

However, the blonde spun on her heals, and her  
flashing green eyes locked on him. He paused with  
his tea cup held mid-air. The guard next to him  
drawing his gun.

Then Chloe was sprinting for him. Lionel sat his  
cup in it's coaster, watching intently as her  
body jerked with every bullet that hit her. Yet,  
she kept coming, her power healing her.

She was on top of him in twenty seconds, and his  
guard was moving to tackle her. She grabbed the  
guards wrist, leaving the man unconscious on the  
floor.

Lionel calmly raised his left eyebrow as a glowing  
hand connected to his forehead, and then his mind  
went dark.

66666

" A helicopter would be faster. " Clark complained  
from the back of the disguised semi.

" And he'd hear us coming a mile away, boy. "  
The General absently stated.

" Sir, the Alpha target's checked in. " The  
radio operator called back. " The sites empty. "

" Right, that leaves us with two possiblities. "  
Lex crossed out the lab on the map pinned to the  
side of the inside of the fast moving trailer.

Clark grunted impatiently. The General had taken  
over the operation the minute they'd called him.  
He was glad for the help. Really he was, but the  
guy was overbearing, bossy, and far too slow.

The one thing he did like, was the fact he had  
decided to not involve the military. The General  
had been afraid of what the government would do  
if they found out about Chloe being meteor infected.  
So they were sticking strictly to Lex's men.

" Beta target has checked in. It's clear. " The  
radio operator announced.

Lex drew a second big red X. " We have her. "

Clark stood up from his seat quickly. " Where? "

" Here. " Lex pointed to a spot in the Colorado  
desert. " We're currently One hundred and three  
miles from the Charlie site. "

The click of a lighter and smell of cigar filled  
the trailer. Clark glanced over at the General.  
The man tucked a cigar lighter into his beige  
army vest, puffing at a thick cigar.

" I suggest you rest while you can. " The middle  
aged man said, moving toward the back. " When we  
get there, we hit them fast, and we hit them hard. "

" How can we rest? " Pete tiredly rubbed his head.  
" Knowing what's happening to Chloe? "

" Simple. " The General paused to consider them  
with dark eyes. " Knowing what's happening, knowing  
she needs you at your best to rescue her, that's the  
key. Now, get something to eat, and rest. "

" He's one to talk. " Lois snorted, grabbing a  
protein bar. " He hasn't slept since he found out. "

" No, but he's right. " Lana tried to fix her  
pony tail. " How much good are we going to do  
Chloe if we fall asleep trying to rescue her? "

" Speak for yourself, Lang. " Lois swallowed a  
large bite of the bar.

Clark moved around the group toward the General.

" I thought I ordered you to rest. " The General  
didn't bother to glance up from where he making  
plan's with Lex.

" What are we going to do about Lionel? " He  
demanded.

" Leave father to us. " Lex didn't meet his eyes.

" But... " Clark frowned.

" Clark, we'll call in the authories the minute  
we can. " The General promised. " For now, rest. "

Clark nodded slowly. For some reason, the promose  
made him uncomfortable. Like there was something he  
was missing.

His right hand brushed his jeans pocket where  
Chloe's letter to him was. Whatever it was, it  
didn't matter. Getting Chloe back did. Lionel could  
take care of himself.

For once, he wasn't going to play hero, and his  
conscious was fine with that.

77777  
Chapter Seven  
77777

Chloe curled up tightly as she convulsed in blinding  
pain. Perhaps erasing and copying every memory  
Lionel had of Clark, the Kent's, the Traveler,  
and anything remotely connected to the three  
subjects wasn't such a good idea after all.

" You will restore my memeories, one way or  
another, Miss. Sullivan. " Lionel's furious voice  
boomed over the testing cell's room.

Yeah, defintely a bad idea.

He didn't know what she erased. No one did, just  
that she had erased a large gap of memeories. Now,  
she was trapped in the testing cell again.

One test after the other. By the time she mutated  
her DNA once, she was forced to do it again, and  
again. Leaving her in ever increasing pain.

Filling the room with various gases, liquids,  
acids, and vapors. Then there was the gravity,  
ice, magma, plasma, and solar waves.

She shuddered violently, convulsing. " Come near me,  
and you'll forget your name next. "

" Very well. Have you ever been in a Vaccum? "

' Shit! ' She swallowed dryly, nudging her DNA.  
She knew enough about vaccum's to mutate her DNA.

The pain increased again, and her body jerked into  
one large charlie horse. Her jaw clenched as she  
refused to scream, a single tear escaping her  
control.

' Damned double-edged powers. ' She closed her  
eyes as the room's environment became a vaccum.  
Her heart pounding loudly in her chest.

Dimly, she thought she heard gunshots and yelling  
around her. It was hard to be sure over her heart,  
and with the vaccum. The room returned to normal  
with a loud metalic bang, and then the doors opened.

' Great, more tests. ' She curled up tighter.

Except, thick, familiar arms pulled her into an  
equally familiar chest. The scent of hay and apples  
filled her nose.

She forced her eyes open, and meet his bright  
blue eyes.

" You're late. " She managed.

" We got caught in traffic. " He pulled her tighter  
to his chest.

" You were too busy checking out the roof of Lana's  
mouth. " She rolled her eyes.

" Actually, they didn't last more than a day. "  
Pete kneeled next to her. " Seems Clark's more  
interested in snarky blondes. "

" Pete. " Clark hissed. " Not now. "

Chloe shivered in pain, rolling her eyes at the  
two. So the Clark/Lana love story went down in  
flames? Huh.

" Look, can we get out of here? " She demanded.

" Where are you idiots? " Lois appeared in the  
doorway. " Will you hurry up? "

Chloe blinked in suprise at the sight of her  
cousin. " Lo? What are you doing here? "

" Making sure you get rescued. " Lois hurried  
over, her face showing her worry. " You didn't  
think I'd leave it up to this group of incompetents,  
did you? They'd have never found you without me. "

" Hey! " Came in stereo.

Chloe smirked despite her physical condition.

" Look, we have to hurry or there won't be a  
Lionel Luther left to arrest. Lana is trying to  
keep Lex and the General under control, but frankly,  
Lionel's mouth just keep's running, if you catch  
my drift. " Lois hurried out the door.

" Oh, great. " Chloe sighed. " And after all the  
trouble I went through. "

" What do you mean? " Clark carried her.

" Pete, you mind going ahead? " Chloe asked.

" It's okay. " Clark stopped her. " He know's my  
secret. "

She shot him a look letting him know they'd be  
having a long talk later. " It's a long story,  
but Lionel's no threat to you or your family  
anymore. I have all his memeories concerning  
you and your family. "

" So your power is erasing memeories? " Clark  
questioned.

" I wish. " She curled up tighter in his arms.

" I don't get it. " Pete frowned.

" Like I said, it's a very, long story. " She  
muttered as they stepped into the control room.

-  
To Be Continued 


End file.
